A Reason to Fight
by angelinexo
Summary: Set after season 6's ChrisCrossed. Chris is so devastated about losing Bianca, that he seems to have almost given up on his mission. Until he's visited by a certain friend from the future, who helps him in more than either had anticipated.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: _Hello there! I had actually started writing this story five years ago and originally posted it here as well. However, I've decided to edit and revise and bit and continue with it! So if it seems familiar, then that's why! I hope you like it, and I would always appreciate feedback!_

**Title:** A Reason to Fight

**Rating:** T to be safe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own and am not affiliated at all with the Charmed show. I do not own any characters from the show, and everything is a work of fiction.

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Chris tossed and turned in the stuffy P3 basement. The pull out bed was uncomfortable, the smell of alcohol lingered, and no matter how hard he tried, the day's horrific events continued to replay in his head as if on a loop.

"_Whatever you're going to do, do it quickly, because I can't hold him for long, " Bianca cried, her arm in his brother's back, desperately trying to stall for time._

_Chris quickly dove onto the floorboard, grabbing what he'd hope would help him. He read aloud, "Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies. Return my magic, give me back, all that was taken from the attack."_

_Just as he felt his powers surge through his veins, Wyatt kicked Bianca backwards in self-preservation, causing the Phoenix to fly across the attic and landing directly onto a broken chair leg._

_Seeing his fiancée in danger, he telekinetically threw his older brother across the room with all that he had in him, and was by Bianca's side in seconds._

"_Haven't we been here before?" whispered Bianca, a tear rolling down her cheek._

_Chris could feel his heart breaking as he told her, "Maybe we will again, someday." He kissed her forehead tenderly as he watched the life slip away from her._

Chris felt hot tears run down his face as her empty hazel eyes haunted him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't erase the image out of his mind. He tried his hardest to black out the memories, to stay in the empty void.

Bianca had meant the world to him. She was his drive, his motivation. To know that he was saving the future so that they could be together forever. Knowing that she was waiting for him in the future, was sometimes the only reason he could get through the days, enduring the suspicion, distrust, and borderline hatred. From his _aunts_. His own _mother_. Without Bianca, would he be able to go on? Did he even want to?

"Now that hurts, Christopher," a familiar voice said sarcastically. Chris looked up to see a very familiar young woman approaching him. "Does twenty-two years of friendship mean nothing to you anymore?"

"M-Mia," Chris stuttered, startled. "What are you doing here?"

He held out his arms, expecting a comforting hug, just as she had done many times before for a variety of reasons. But instead she just shook her head.

"Not so fast. We have to talk to first."

He frowned at her reaction and took a good look at her. She hadn't changed much since he had embarked on his mission several months ago. Her black hair was longer, reaching her waist. Her dark brown eyes were mixed with pain, hope, and determination. There were more wrinkles near her eyes, and the circles under her eyes seemed darker. Taking over the Resistance when he left was takings its toll on his friend, and it was showing.

"Is it really you, Mia?" he asked softly. "Or is this just a dream? A hallucination?"

"Technically, yes, you're dreaming. But I'm just as real as you, dear. I could tell even from home that you needed me. So here I am, astral-projection and all to help. Just like always."

Chris smiled fondly. He had been so caught up in grief that he had forgotten how much he missed his best friend. "So give me a hug, Mia. I just watched my fiancée die at the hands of my brother. I just need someone to hold me and tell me everything's going to be okay."

She smiled sadly. "That's not exactly what I came here to do. I'm sorry for your loss, Chris. But I didn't come back to comfort you. You can't grieve, Chris. I'm sorry, but we just don't have the time." She seemed truly sympathetic. "I came back because you've lost the will to fight."

"That's not true!" Chris protested.

"Chris, dear, have you forgotten that you can't lie to me? Even if I hadn't known you my entire life, I'm still telepathic," she smirked. Chris looked away and didn't respond. Mia frowned. "You think I don't care that she died."

Chris's silence was answer enough.

"Okay, so maybe Bianca and I had our issues…"

"You guys hated each other," Chris corrected.

"Hate is such a strong word," Mia mused.

"You guys would have killed each other if I didn't walk in at the right moment," Chris said wryly.

"Okay, whatever," Mia conceded. "We hated each other. But we both loved you. And because I love you, and you love her, of course I'm going to care. I've never been good at watching you be sad, Chris." She smiled up at him.

"Then why did you come back here?" he asked her, sadness filling his green eyes.

"Because you need to remember what exactly we're fighting for, Chris," she told him, placing her hand on his cheek. Chris closed his eyes, and Mia finally gave in, wrapping her around him, wanting nothing more than to take all of his pain for him.

"If you succeed in saving Wyatt," she continued as she pulled away, "then you can have another chance with Bianca. You save Wyatt, and you save your future with her. Your future with your parents, your brother, your aunts, your cousins." She paused. There were tears in her eyes as well. "And what about me? And little Mikey?"

Chris smiled a bit as a tear rolled down his cheek. "How could I forget about Mikey?"

"I know that it's a lot. And that you're going through a lot right now, losing Bianca. But you're our only hope, Chris," Mia said. "You're my only hope." More tears fell, and Chris moved to wipe them away, keeping his hands on her face as she continued.

"I'm so tired of fighting, Chris. I'm tired of having to be strong for the entire Resistance. I'm tired of plotting and strategizing attacks, and seeing the wounded and the dead," she cried. Chris wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight. "I'm so tired of everything, Chris. Please, I need you to win this for us."

"It's just so hard, Mia," Chris confessed. "They hate me, they really hate me."

And so the two friends held each other for a few moments, reveling in each other's comfort and mutual despair. It was comforting that even for a few moments, in a part of the universe that neither truly belonged in, there was another person who understood, who truly cared.

When they pulled away, feeling much calmer than they had before, Mia was the first to speak up.

"You know they don't really hate you. Nobody could hate you with a face like yours," she smiled slyly.

"I suppose you're right," Chris smiled. "But they don't trust me. And it hurts."

Mia thought for a moment.

"I think I have a solution to both our problems," she stated. Chris raised a brow, intrigued. "You're lonely in the past because you're alone and your family doesn't trust you. I'm stressed in the future because I'm nowhere near as good of a leader as you are, and there are others who can lead."

"Where are you going with this, Mia?" Chris asked.

"What do you say about having your partner in crime with you back in 2004?"

"You can't leave the Resistance, Mia," Chris argued. "They can't lose both their leaders."

"I was never meant to be an alpha, Chris. I'm a beta. It's my personality. Things went to hell the moment you left. Each division has their own leaders who can manage while I'm gone. And with me helping you, we might even be able to finish this mission faster than planned."

The proposition was enticing to Chris. He had been alone for so long in a time he didn't belong in, and it had definitely taken its toll on him. It would be nice to have someone on his side for once…

"Please, Chris," Mia pleaded. "I'm going crazy without you."

"Okay, fine," Chris finally relented. Mia's face lit up. "Tell only those of top-security clearance." His leader mode kicked in instantly. "If anyone asks just say you're going on a solo mission and you'll be out of contact. Don't mention me. Don't want them thinking that we're losing."

"Sir, yes, sir!" Mia saluted, before breaking out into a grin. "Alright, well you should get your rest, mister," she chided. "I'll see you bright and early in the morning."

Chris smiled. "I'll see you soon."


	2. Chapter 2

Chris didn't know how long he was actually asleep when he awoke to the mental calling of his name. Without bothering to change out of pajamas, he instantly orbed to the Manor.

When Chris rematerialized, he wasn't sure what to expect. He hadn't realized that he hadn't mentioned to Mia that he wasn't staying at the Manor, so she wouldn't have thought that appearing in the Charmed One's home would be a horrible idea.

When his gatherings around him were stable, he saw the sisters sitting on the couch, each with a different expression on her face. Piper was confused, angry, and suspicious… not much different than how she usually was, Chris had to admit. Paige, at the other end of the couch, had a worried look on her face. Sitting between her sisters, Phoebe had an almost amused look on her face, as if waiting for Chris to tell her a story.

"Where is she?" Chris immediately asked.

"Chris!" a voice called from the conservatory. Chris ignored the sisters' curious and suspicious looks and instantly ran towards the voice.

Trapped within a crystal cage with her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face stood Mia.

With a flick of his wrists, a crystal was thrown across the room, and the cage disappeared. The sisters arrived just as Mia threw herself into Chris's arms.

"So you do know her," Piper commented dryly.

"I told you," Mia said rolling her eyes. "I'm a friend of Chris's. A good witch. I passed your freezing test, didn't I?"

"I just had to be sure. I had to make sure you weren't another assassin from the future, " Piper snapped. As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized the implications. Mia's hand had immediately sought Chris's, as she glared at the eldest sister.

With a nudge from Phoebe, Piper apologized. "I'm sorry, Chris."

"You should be," Mia spat.

"Mia," Chris warned.

"Okay, who are you anyway?" Piper asked.

"My name is Mia," she said stiffly. "I'm a friend of Chris. From the future."

"And not to be rude, but why exactly are you here, in our time?" Phoebe questioned.

Mia hesitated, trying to figure out how to word her answer. "I'm here to take care of Chris while on his mission to save the future."

"You mean save Wyatt," Piper questioned suspiciously.

"Same thing," Mia answered evenly. She locked eyes with Piper and stood her ground, as if daring her to challenge her further.

"Chris is an adult," Paige commented. "Why does he need you to take care of him?"

"Yeah, he seems to be doing alright considering he's constantly strolling along in the Underworld, sometime even bringing some friends up here as well," Piper said snarkily.

Mia's eyes narrowed at what Piper was inferring, but Chris put a hand on her arm to calm her.

"You clearly don't know Chris then," she responded coldly.

"Mia," Chris warned again.

"No, Chris!" she argued. "I haven't even been here a half an hour, and I'm about to go crazy from all of their suspicions and complete distrust thoughts about you!"

"You can read our minds?" Paige exclaimed.

"Yeah, I can," Mia answered, "I heard every single one of your paranoid thoughts that I might be another one of Chris's _demon associates_."

"Hey, we have good reason to be a bit distrustful of him," Piper defended.

"Bullshit. Chris has done nothing but sacrifice his time, use all his power, and risk his life to save your son. You think he likes going into the Underworld? He's half-witch, half-whitelighter, what exactly do you think he has to gain down there? Absolutely nothing. But he does it so that your son and your precious family will stay safe. The least you could do is trust him and not treat him like shit."

"We don't treat him that badly!" Phoebe defended.

"Really now? When was the last time you asked him how he was doing? What was new in his life? When's the last time you invited him for dinner? Took the time to talk to him as an actual human being rather than your neurotic whitelighter? Do you even know anything about him? His last name, his best friend, his favorite color? No, you don't. You don't know a damn thing about Chris, and yet here you are judging and assuming the worst." The sisters sat in a stunned silence. "I had expected better from _the Charmed Ones_."

"Amelia," Chris said more sternly.

"Shut it, Chris!" Mia shouted. "You don't even see what you've done to him. He used to be a confident sometimes cocky leader. He would've stood up to me, but no, now he just takes it because every little comment and judgment that you make does affect him. He is still human, after all. He does have feelings."

"We know that, we do," Phoebe said.

"It was just the other day. We invited him out for drinks, but he declined," Paige added.

"Of course he declined," Mia said exasperatedly. "He's Chris! That's who he is. To worry and take care of others before himself. It's what makes him such a good leader! Do you even understand how much pressure he's under every moment he spends here? He has the entire world on his shoulders. Every single person that we know is depending on him. Our friends. Our families. And that's why I had to come back. I had to come back to take care of my best friend because he's too busy taking care of the whole damn future!" Mia let out an angry breath as the sisters stared in silence. Breathing deeply, Mia could already feel herself feeling better. She had been holding in everything ever since she had first checked up on Chris after a few weeks into the past.

"Are you done now, Mia?" Chris asked pointedly.

"Yes," Mia replied with a huff.

"Good. Now apologize," Chris said, crossing his arms. Mia's jaw dropped and four eyes widened to stare at him.

"What? Christopher…" Mia started to argue.

"You heard me, Mia. Now apologize," he stood his ground. She narrowed her eyes at him, and it was as if they had a mental conversation before she huffed and pouted.

Turning to the sisters, she said, "Fine. I'm sorry I lost my cool and yelled at you while defending Chris even though nothing I said was wrong and I don't take back anything I said. But I'm sorry I yelled."

Chris smirked, and Mia couldn't help but smile. "Happy now?" She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, thank you," Chris smiled back.

The sisters continued to just stare in shock. They had never seen Chris like this, so genuinely happy. Whoever this mysterious witch was, she seemed to be a positive influence on their usually neurotic whitelighter.

"So is this interrogation over?" Mia asked, crossing her arms and turning back to the sisters.

Piper blinked, feeling her sisters look to her for an answer. "Yeah, yeah…" Piper stuttered. She took a breath and tried to compose herself. "Just… stay close in case we have any more questions."

Mia rolled her eyes and grabbed Chris's hand in hers. "Whatever. Let's get out of here, Chris."

"Your wish is my command," he teased as they orbed away.

"Wow," Phoebe said as soon as they were gone. She took a seat on one of the wicker chairs.

"You said it, sister," Paige added.

"I don't think we've ever been yelled at like that since Grams was around," Piper said.

"Do you think she was right?" Paige asked, a guilty look on her face.

"I mean… we had legitimate reasons to not trust him," Piper defended, though her face didn't seem as confident as before.

"And this Mia girl," Paige started. "Isn't kind of… weird, how she just came back from the future all of a sudden. Pheebs, did you get anything off her or Chris with your empathy powers?"

"I got nothing from Chris, as always," Phoebe responded. "And from Mia… I got a lot of anger… She's really protective of Chris."

"Well I never would have gotten that from the way she yelled at us," Piper replied sarcastically. Phoebe rolled her eyes.

"It was just… really strong. She really cares about Chris. I think… I think she loves him," Phoebe admitted.

"Well we saw what happened to the last woman from the future who loved him," Piper quipped. Paige and Phoebe gave her pointed looks. "Sorry, sorry."

"Well, it looks like the way they were attached at the hip, we're going to be seeing more of her around whether we like it or not," Paige said.

"Just… keep on eye on her. On the both of them. I still don't know if we can trust her. Especially with Wyatt."

Phoebe and Paige shared a look, but nodded at Piper.

"Now, shoo," Piper continued. "I'm going to make a nice lunch, as a peace offering towards our new guest."

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_Please leave a review and let me know what you think!_


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